Tourism is a veritable instrument for socio-economic development. It impacts directly on the economy through the provision of resources and income that could be deployed to enhance economic growth, accelerate development and reduce poverty.
Similarly, it is a good public relations mechanism through with which a city, state or country could attract needed foreign investment. Having come to terms with the socio-economic benefits of tourism, some states in the country are now drawing from the examples of cities such as New York, Hong Kong, Nairobi, Rio de Janeiro etc which have fruitfully utilized tourism for positive economic ends.
In Africa, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt are renowned for their rich and economically viable tourism sectors. Thus, it is now fashionable for states in the country to identify and project the positive aspects of some of their communities to attract people within and without their domains.
For instance, the Calabar Carnival staged every yuletide period reflects the Christian influence in the city; the Osun Oshogbo festival addresses the spiritual attachment of the people of Oshogbo and Yorubas beyond the city of Oshogbo to the Osun deity; the Eyo Festival in Lagos as well as the Lagos (Fanty) Carnival which reflect the history and culture of Lagos.
Without doubt, Lagos offers a wide variety of tourist attractions in the country. This include its historical sites, extended and roomy river and ocean beaches ideal for relaxation and other water sports, rich and varied handicrafts and other vibrant products depicting or expounding of native arts and lifestyle. However, many of these attractions are still mostly unexploited.
It is, however, gladdening that at the moment tourism in Lagos state is taking a new turn. At every public forum, the Governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has been urging all stake holders to prepare for a future without oil. According to him, the most visible way to achieve this is to embrace tourism. Without doubt, if properly tapped into, the diversity of tourism in the state could as well become a major source of investment and revenue for the state.
In order to achieve this, the state government has put in place diverse programmes. Perhaps, the most visible of such programmes is the annual Black Heritage Festival which is an elaborate event to showcase the beautiful culture of Lagos. The objective of the festival is to provide a connection between the state’s rich cultural past and the present. The festival is infused with cultural entertainment, traditional displays and contemporary art.
It is not surprising that the festival, which is staged for a week at different parts of the State, is fast gaining recognition and popularity, even among the international community. It is interesting to note that a previous edition of the event was dedicated to the Afro-Brazilians who were shipped as slaves to Brazil in the 18th century. The event attracted Brazilian nationals and Brazilian popular music (samba) featured prominently during the festival. The Boat Regatta was also colourful while the beauty pageant attracted fans to the event. As usual, this year’s Heritage week featured the Black Heritage Festival, the Boat Regatta, the Beauty Pageant and the Lagos carnival.
Expectedly, there is an economic and empowerment dimension to the Heritage week. It’s worthy of note that the costumes used during the annual carnival are all made by students of the Lagos State Skill Acquisition Centres. This is one of the benefits of tourism: people are empowered. In the course of the event, the empowerment potential of tourism becomes apparent at the various points of activities such as the beach fronts, Tafawa Balewa Square, National Theatre, Badagry, among others, as the old and young usually explore the occasion to make quick business of printing fanciful tee shirts, vending food, drinks and other items.
The economic importance of the event is usually equally demonstrated through the employment of thousands of artisans, tailors and welders who were gainfully employed for many months leading to the carnival. The beauty pageant of the carnival also served as a source of youth empowerment as some of the participants were rewarded with various prizes and items that could help them to start a business of choice. Equally, hotels, restaurants and guest houses are often fully booked during the festival by tourists from various parts of the world.
Similarly, the State government is involved in the annual ‘Felebration’, the annual event organized by the Kuti family to commemorate the life and times of the late Afrobeat maestro, poet, philosopher, social critic and African nationalist; Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. The event usually attracts visitors within and outside Nigeria to Lagos.
The involvement of the State Government in the event is usually in the area of providing sponsorship and Institutional support. In same vein, with a view to sustaining the iconic stature of the late music genius, the state government, in conjunction with the Kuti Family, have successfully rehabilitated and converted Fela’s residence at 7, Gbemisola Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, into an international museum. The objective is to turn the place into a melting pot for people of all ages from across the world.
To further explore the tourism potentials of the state, the state government is working in partnership with interrelated international organizations like the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. Consequently, these two bodies once jointly sponsored the training of Badagry youths on Tour Guiding, Boat operations and waste Management as well as Curio and Souvenir making for Badagry youths.
Similarly, the state government once partnered with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), to mark the International Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition.
Obviously, there are impediments to the development of tourism in the state. This includes lack of required modern infrastructural facilities. It is, however, cheering that the state government has been making efforts to improve infrastructure across the state.
The Lagos Bar Beach, for instance, has been upgraded to meet international standard while effort is being made to redevelop the Badagry expressway into a road incorporating all modern facilities. Investors are, therefore, encouraged to invest in the rich tourism potentials of the state. The affluence and multiplicity of Lagos’s tourism resources together with the urban renewal programme of the state government will, no doubt, provide investment opportunities in diverse areas.
With such attractive tourist centers as the colonial slave relics at Badagry, the first storey building in Nigeria equally at Badagry, the Eko Tourist Beach Resort, Akodo , the Lagos Bar Beach, Tinubu Square, National Museum, Nigeria Conservation Foundation , Epe, and a host of others, Lagos certainly stands to gain a lot in its renewed effort to explore the tourism potentials of the state.
Tayo Ogunbiyi
